Health Care

Health Care
Having raised my children as a single mother, I know how difficult it can be to afford the health care that your children need.  I worked hard for many years to support my elderly mother and my children.  In fact, at one point I was working three jobs to support my family.  Today my children are grown and have their own young children.  As a mother and grandmother, I understand the importance of knowing that your family has access to affordable and hassle-free health care.
 
As a Member of Congress, I strongly support efforts to expand access to affordable and comprehensive health care – through community health centers, private insurance, and health savings accounts.
 
The health care system in this country needs a lot of improvement.  The goal is affordable, accessible and hassle-free health care for all – but not a one-size-fits-all, Washington-run health care system.

Health Insurance
The number of uninsured Americans has been steadily increasing for years, but the profile of the uninsured has remained largely the same. Over eight in ten of the uninsured come from working families.  More than 70 percent are from families with one or more full-time workers.  Employer-sponsored health insurance is not an option for the large majority of uninsured employees – 70 percent work where health benefits are not offered. 
 
That’s why I have introduced the Affordable Health Care Expansion Act (H.R. 5784), which creates a new tax credit for the purchase of private health insurance.  The pre-payable, refundable tax credit would be available to all Americans regardless of their employer or employment status.

“Pre-payable” means the individual is eligible for the credit at the time of purchase.  The annual credit would be advanced monthly to be applied to the amount of premium owed for that month.  For many low-income people, waiting until the following April for a big refund is not an option.  They need the assistance now.  By making the refundable credit pre-payable, an individual purchasing coverage can simply assign the value of their credit to the insurance company and then the insurer can charge them the difference, if any. 

A “refundable” tax credit means that the individual gets the full value of the tax credit regardless of their tax liability.  If they owed $0 in federal taxes, they would still get the full $3,000 tax credit back as a refund.     

Fifty-two percent of those without health insurance say they don’t have it because they can’t afford it.  The Affordable Health Care Expansion Act will help these individuals and families afford the health care they need.  Some experts think that this proposal could reduce the number of uninsured by at least 50 percent.
 
I support efforts to increase patients’ health care choices and believe in empowering doctors and patients with health care decisions – not lawyers and bureaucrats.  If we are going to fix our health care system, we need to find a way to make sure that every single American has access to health care in a way that is affordable, and in a system the country can afford.  Everyone should be insured, and all Americans have the right to have access to quality, affordable health care.

Autism
Since autism was first described just 60 years ago, its prevalence has dramatically increased.  Autism spectrum disorders will be diagnosed in more than 25,000 U.S. children this year – more than new pediatric cases of AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined.

Scientists and doctors still know very little about the neurological disorder, but most agree that early intervention is key.  Too often families feel overwhelmed after diagnosis and lost as to where to turn for help.  That is why I have introduced the Helping HANDS for Autism Act (H.R. 6282), which creates a grant program to provide “autism navigator” services to help families navigate the web of services and care.  Navigators will help guide families to current health, education, housing, and social services that are often available.  The program will help connect families to important treatment options soon after diagnosis, help families identify education options, and help coordinate individuals’ care and community support. 

The Helping HANDS for Autism Act is a three-part legislative package designed not only to support families dealing with autism spectrum disorders, but also to increase public awareness and provide adult services for individuals with autism.
 
The bill is supported by Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America.

Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is one of most pervasive health threats to our society.  Since the 1970s, the percentage rate of obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. 

Today, more than 15 percent of American children and teenagers between the ages of six and nineteen are overweight.  Obesity increases the risk of heart disease and cancer – the two leading causes of death in the United States.  Other possible consequences include diabetes and musculoskeletal disorders.
 
I believe this growing problem can best be addressed within our school system and our local communities.  I am proud to be the lead Republican cosponsor of H.R. 2045, the “Promoting Lifelong Active Youth (PLAY) Every Day” bill.  The PLAY Every Day bill helps promote physical activity for kids, families, and communities across the country.  The PLAY Every Day bill supports the development of a community assessment tool, called the “community play index,” that can measure the policy, program, or environmental factors in communities that discourage youth from participating in physical activity.

Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States.  In 2008, an estimated 150,000 new cases will be diagnosed and an estimated 49,960 deaths will be caused by colorectal cancer.  The real tragedy is that many of these cancer cases and deaths occur needlessly, and could be prevented if more people took advantage of colorectal cancer screening and early detection. 
 
In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established a demonstration colorectal cancer screening program at five sites across the United States to study the feasibility of delivering screening and follow-up services to the population of low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals.  I have introduced legislation – H.R. 1738, the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection, Prevention, and Treatment Act – that is designed to expand on the successes of the demonstration program by authorizing grant funding to expand screenings and treatment for colorectal cancer nationwide. 
 
Treatment costs for colorectal cancer are extremely high – estimated at $8.4 billion for new cases in 2007.  The costs of two thirds of these colorectal cancer cases are borne by the Medicare program.  Early screening and detection not only saves lives, but will lead to cost savings.  The Lewin Group recently conducted a comprehensive study of the potential cost savings to Medicare, and found that every 10 years a colorectal screening program will result in savings of about 1.5 years’ worth of Medicare expenditures.